Faculty members defend UChicago students who are having diplomas withheld

MORE THAN 30 VACANT POSITIONS. THOSE AFFECTED WILL RECEIVE SEVERANCE PACKAGES. THE COLLEGE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED HE WOULD BE STEPPING DOWN. HE DID THAT A FEW MONTHS AGO. >>> UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO STUDENTS AND FACULTY ARE SPEAKING OUT TODAY. FOUR STUDENTS WILL WALK THE STAGE AT GRADUATION TOMORROW BUT WILL NOT RECEIVE DIPLOMAS. AS TARA MOLINA EXPLAINS IT IS ALL LINKED TO A UNIVERSITY DISCIPLINARY PROCESS TIED TO THE GAZA SOLIDARITY ENCAMPMENT. >> Reporter: THEIR DEGREES HANG IN THE BALANCE. AFTER FOUR YEARS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO. UNIVERSITY SPOKESPEOPLE WILL ONLY TELL ME THE CONDUCT AND POLICY INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE. THE STUDENTS WE CAUGHT UP WITH SAY THEY ARE HOPEFUL BUT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS THEY WOULD NOT CHANGE A THING. THE POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR WON'T RECEIVE THE DEGREE HE WORKED FOR YEARS FOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SATURDAY -- >> I HAVE NO REGRETS. I WOULD DO THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN IF I HAVE TO. >> Reporter: WHY IS HIS DIPLOMA AND THREE OTHERS IN LIMBO? THE UNIVERSITY, QUOTE, RECEIVED MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE ENCAMPMENT AND ISSUES RELATED TO DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT. HE TELLS ME HE DID NOTHING OUTSIDE HIS RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. PROTESTS ARE INHERENTLY DISRUPTIVE. DID YOU CROSS THE LINE? >> NOT AT ALL. WE WERE TOLD AND FROM WHAT I LEARNED MY FIRST YEAR, I WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION I WAS PROTECTED. >> Reporter: HE CLAIMS THE UNIVERSITY WON'T DETAIL THE COMPLAINTS AND HAS NOT SHARED A TIMELINE. >> WE SHOWED UP FOR SOLIDARITY. >> Reporter: THE FOUR WERE CHARGED WITH SIT-IN VIOLATIONS. THEY TELL US THE UNIVERSITY DISMISSED THOSE CHARGES. NO ONE WAS ARRESTED MAY 7 WHEN POLICE IN RIOT GEAR DISBANDED THE ENCAMPMENTS. FACULTY ARE BACKING THE STUDENTS UP, SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY. >> I THINK THE STUDENTS NEED TO GET THEIR DEGREES. >> Reporter: 16 CHICAGO ALDERMAN SIGNED THIS LETTER, STRONGLY ENCOURAGING THEM TO RECONSIDER. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, HE TELLS ME HE WILL PROUDLY WALK ACROSS THE STAGE SATURDAY. >> THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO WILL NEVER GET THEIR DIPLOMA AND NEVER WALK THE STAGE AGAIN. >> THE UNIVERSITY DENIED OUR REQUEST, REFERRING TO A STATEMENT EARLIER THIS WEEK. YOU CAN READ THAT IN FULL IN THE STORY ON HER WEBSITE AND

Channel: CBS Chicago

Views: 43,501

Keywords: CBS 2 News Evening, University of Chicago, UChicago, Diplomas Withheld, Gaza, Pro-Palestinian Protest, Protest Encampment, Tara Molina

Id: pZIyXLdicHY

Length: 2min 34sec (154 seconds)

Published: Fri May 31 2024